The Decade in Food: Trends from 2000 to 2010

Wow. What a difference a decade makes! Back when you were partying like it was 1999, you probably didn't realize the food world would progress so much over the next 11 years. Before 2001, there was no Rachael Ray gracing Food Network, and the organic obsession? Not on most people's radar. Curious to know what other giant leaps we made for foodies (and all mankind)? Take a look at our review of the past decade in food. If you want to reminisce some more, check out these comfort food trends through the years.

Carrie Bradshaw hits New York City's cupcake mecca Magnolia Bakery on Sex and the City, igniting the cupcake trend. Over the next several years, popular New York- and Los Angeles-based cupcake shops like Crumbs and Sprinkles expand into multi-state franchises; local cupcakeries sprout up on street corners galore; and by 2009, the number of new cupcake cookbooks reaches what Publishers Weekly calls a "deluge."

In the fall of 2001, America meets accessible Rachael Ray as 30 Minute Meals debuts on Food Network. Today Ray's empire includes her eponymous magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray; a nationally syndicated talk show; cookware; and branded EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, for those not familiar with the Ray lexicon). As it did with Ray, the Food Network helps propel a new generation of effervescent, telegenic chefs — from Paula Deen to Guy Fieri — to multimedia celebrity over the course of the decade.

The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss by cardiologist Arthur Agatston is published in 2003 and remains on the best-seller list for more than 96 consecutive weeks. Agatston's carbohydrate-reducing plan is just one facet of the low-carb craze sweeping the nation. In February 2004, nearly one in 10 respondents to one survey said they were following a low-carb diet; by 2005, that number dropped to 2% and the trend faded.

Super Size Me, first-time director Morgan Spurlock's documentary film in which he undergoes a self-imposed experiment to eat fast food exclusively for one month, makes its way to theaters. In the movie, Spurlock's Golden Arches diet leads to a weight gain of nearly 30 pounds, a major hike in his cholesterol level, and other effects ranging from liver damage to sexual dysfunction. Mickey D's ends its super-sizing menu that year.

Coffee Goliath Starbucks achieves world domination as the number of its coffeehouses surpasses 10,000 (today there are over 16,000 worldwide!). Never mind the 50-cent diner coffee: Many Americans' mornings are no longer complete without a $5 venti nonfat Caramel Macchiato and its ilk.

The organic food movement goes mainstream in a big way when Wal-Mart jumps on the bandwagon, stocking quality organic products at good ole Wal-Mart prices: just 10% more than their conventional foods. According to the Organic Trade Association, annual sales of organic food hit $24 billion by 2009, a more than fivefold increase from a decade earlier.

Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma is released, revealing the scary truth behind industrial food production in the U.S. and encouraging Americans to source food from local farms. Soon sustainability — limiting one's harmful impact on the earth and environment — and "locavore" enter the mainstream food vocabulary.

In the wake of 2009's economic recession, families tighten their budgets by packing brown bag lunches and preparing home-cooked meals. According to a recent Zagat survey, 61% of 6,708 people polled revealed they are cooking more at home as a direct result of the economic downturn.

It seems none of us can function without checking our Blackberrys, iPhones, Kindles, or GPS. Technology is touching every aspect of our lives: supermarkets, kitchens, drive-thrus, and fine-dining restaurants where touch-screen menus are being introduced. Will the iPad mean the end of the paper menu? Only time will tell. But our bet is that diners will be seeing more gadgets at the table in addition to inside their very own kitchens.